mtfallsmikey
Addicted to ArboristSite
If I hit a lottery, would soak them in Maker's Mark. Wish I would have had time to stop there when last passing thru central Ky. the last time..
Do you clean your chains...
- Thread starter Joe Kidd
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
If I hit a lottery, would soak them in Maker's Mark. Wish I would have had time to stop there when last passing thru central Ky. the last time..
user 64030
ArboristSite Guru
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2011
- Messages
- 935
- Reaction score
- 137
Well I'm only about 30 miles from there I still ain't been. Something about not letting me bathe in the tanks :'(
:biggrin:
dw
Fish
Tree Freak
I live 2-3 miles downstream from there.
Jakers
Owner - Arbor Jake's Tree Service, LLC
works great for minor cuts and burns too
Fish
Tree Freak
mmmmmmmmm.
Boleclimber
ArboristSite Guru
I've never cleaned a chain for any reason. To date, I have had zero issues with my lack of cleaning.
If you are really bored, you can do a search for 'chain cleaning' and find at least another 11 threads on the same topic.
Philbert
cheeves
Tree Freak
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2010
- Messages
- 14,732
- Reaction score
- 84,744
- Location
- Plymouth, Mass. America's Hometown
throw mine in the washer machine with a cap of Amway SA8, mixed with a squirt of Industro, and a cup of Hydrogen Peroxide! Come out Spic and Span and ready to go! :smile2:
David (saltas)
Addicted to ArboristSite
one more who uses a wire brush
BobL has these videos of cleaning his milling chains
Battery drill powerd
[video=youtube;IauN8GMUCy0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IauN8GMUCy0&feature=plcp&context=C3d29d2eUDOEgsToPDskJlYagcaPkbg25L4A8tiYvN[/video]
Long bars done out side
[video=youtube;4c4WzRExtc0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c4WzRExtc0&feature=plcp&context=C3f9eec1UDOEgsToPDskJSQdEnzLcWx1ZoeLOd4ArB[/video]
BobL has these videos of cleaning his milling chains
Battery drill powerd
[video=youtube;IauN8GMUCy0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IauN8GMUCy0&feature=plcp&context=C3d29d2eUDOEgsToPDskJlYagcaPkbg25L4A8tiYvN[/video]
Long bars done out side
[video=youtube;4c4WzRExtc0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c4WzRExtc0&feature=plcp&context=C3f9eec1UDOEgsToPDskJSQdEnzLcWx1ZoeLOd4ArB[/video]
Boleclimber
ArboristSite Guru
I was waiting for an epic fail moment where he cuts a finger or two off. It is quite bad for me to write that, having done some risky things in my life.
mtfallsmikey
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well, I had to do it....
Had a couple of spare chains from my 036 hanging up in the shop, one was pretty crusted up with sap spooge from cutting some red oak trees down last year. Did not have a bucket of carb cleaner, so I used some paint thinner with a shot of MMO mixed in. It softened up the spooge, then I ran it over the wire wheel on my grinder to finish, then sharpened it, so there 'ya go. Looks reel good!
Had a couple of spare chains from my 036 hanging up in the shop, one was pretty crusted up with sap spooge from cutting some red oak trees down last year. Did not have a bucket of carb cleaner, so I used some paint thinner with a shot of MMO mixed in. It softened up the spooge, then I ran it over the wire wheel on my grinder to finish, then sharpened it, so there 'ya go. Looks reel good!
'mmo'?
Fish
Tree Freak
galde
Addicted to ArboristSite
Isn't MMO Marvel Mystery Oil? I don't like to put a file or grinder to a dirty chain. I like it to be squeaky clean so I can see what shape it is in and inspect it for damage of any sort. Crud on the chain will also load up a grinder wheel or file. The USC with Awesome at 80 deg Centigrade for about 10 minutes does a great job. I use a strong magnet (like a cookie on a stick) to pick up accumulated filings or else I get out the shop vac. Thin plastic (like a grocery bag) can be stretched over the magnet and pulled off with the filings for a clean disposal.
I tried the ultrasonic cleaner. It works. Was using WD-40 and a stiff brush, as I posted on other threads. It works. BobL's big tower frankly scares me!
This stuff (Purple Power, SuperClean, etc.) is FAST. I have tried it now diluted 1:1, and 3:1 with water. 5 seconds of swishing for an average chain. Rinse and followed with an old toothbrush for really gunky chains. Swish and rinse again. Will try it more diluted next time to work with less caustic solution.
Just be sure to dry thoroughly and re-lube.
Philbert
This stuff (Purple Power, SuperClean, etc.) is FAST. I have tried it now diluted 1:1, and 3:1 with water. 5 seconds of swishing for an average chain. Rinse and followed with an old toothbrush for really gunky chains. Swish and rinse again. Will try it more diluted next time to work with less caustic solution.
Just be sure to dry thoroughly and re-lube.
Philbert
mtfallsmikey
Addicted to ArboristSite
Was at an auto parts store that happened to sell 'Super Clean' and 'Purple Power' side by side. Price was pretty similar ($7 - $8 / gallon), but Purple Power lists lye (sodium hydroxide) as the second ingredient, whereas it is about fourth for Super Clean. Not sure if they list active ingredients by volume. Purple Power MSDS says lye is less than 2%; Super Clean MSDS says Lye is less than 5% - so that does not clear anything up. Not sure what the other common ingredients do (sodium metasilicate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and my favorite: tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacatate).
I think that I have also seen Rubbermaid Professional Products and other versions of similar cleaners.
Philbert
I think that I have also seen Rubbermaid Professional Products and other versions of similar cleaners.
Philbert
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
Now then... JJ brings up a very good point. When tryin' to save some old 1/2" chain I got years back (about 30 feet of it)... it was rusty and locked up on a quite a few links. I soaked it in diesel for a week. Free as a bird.
Gary
Follow-up notes
OK, I have used this now on close to 30 chains. It works. It is fast. Oil, grease, dirt swish right off. Asphalt (from tornado/disaster clean up) takes a short soak, light brushing with an old toothbrush, and re-swish. One part cleaner, to one or two parts water (max) works best.
****BUT, it removes all the oil! **** Not a big deal if you sharpen and re-lube right away. But there have been several chains that I did not get back to for a few weeks and several showed signs of light rust around the rivets and on the cutting edges, even though they were stored inside with lots of air circulation.
So, if you use this stuff, I suggest that you hit the chains with some WD-40 after letting them dry for a day or so, whether or not you have gotten around to sharpening them.
Philbert
OK, I have used this now on close to 30 chains. It works. It is fast. Oil, grease, dirt swish right off. Asphalt (from tornado/disaster clean up) takes a short soak, light brushing with an old toothbrush, and re-swish. One part cleaner, to one or two parts water (max) works best.
****BUT, it removes all the oil! **** Not a big deal if you sharpen and re-lube right away. But there have been several chains that I did not get back to for a few weeks and several showed signs of light rust around the rivets and on the cutting edges, even though they were stored inside with lots of air circulation.
So, if you use this stuff, I suggest that you hit the chains with some WD-40 after letting them dry for a day or so, whether or not you have gotten around to sharpening them.
Philbert
Similar threads
